The Pink Shirt
by AngelCrepe
Summary: Spencer Reid finds a stranger in a coffee shop. How is this going to progress? It just can't end well. ReidXOC. Kind of on-semi-hiatus at the moment. Will update with 'real' chapter in a few weeks' time. Thanks for your patience and continued patronage!
1. Prologue

Note: I own nothing! Absolutely nothing!

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It began with a pink shirt. More specifically, Spencer Reid's brand new baby pink shirt; and of course, the fact that it was pink and matched so well with his superman tie prompted questions.

"Hey, Spence. Nice shirt" JJ said, her eyes and face clearly surprised and amused at his choice of colour.

"Oh, it's not strange" Spencer replied, "Thank God! I was worried about the choice of colours, as well as superman as the hero on my tie. Somehow having the man of steel on one's tie is not as boosting to one's ego as it might seem. But there is a fairly large number of superman underwear in stores. Perhaps that's a better ego booster than people might let on." He rambled until JJ gave up and started to walk towards the coffee machine.

"So, why the pink shirt?" JJ ventured, deciding to not ask any superman related doubts.

"Oh, this woman bumped into me in the coffee shop, which resulted in the spilling of my double espresso on my shirt. She then offered to get me a new coffee, a new shirt and a new tie." He explained. JJ was admittedly shocked that Spencer had accepted this obviously generous offer on the woman's part with such little hesitation, or so it seemed.

"And you accepted it without a banter?" She asked, honestly shocked.

"I did refuse, but she insisted on it in her British accent, which was quiet amusing. I did offer to buy her lunch in exchange and she accepted." He informed. Jennifer smiled.

"Well, you look away for a second and Spence is picking up girls in cafes." She teased.

And for the rest of the day Spencer heard a lot of comments, jokes and remarks about anything and everything that involved dating and women.

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Reviews are love!


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own the O'Connell family. And nothing else.

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Chapter One : LUNCH TURNED SHRINK SESSION

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It was a Wednesday when Spencer called Sadie O'Connell, or as the BAU had come to know her, "the coffee-shop woman", to make plans for lunch. And, of course, it took him a week to actually keep it.

They met at a slightly upscale establishment, which was a cross between a cafe and a fully-fledged restaurant. Spencer spotted Sadie the moment he entered. She was a small, athletic woman, with black hair and light green eyes. She was dressed for the summer in a simple sundress with bold borders. She seemed to be drinking a cappucino, although it sat untouched on her table. She was far too engrossed in the book in her hand. Nine Stories by J. . Spencer realised he'd stopped walking and then made his way towards her.

"Sadie" he said. She looked up abruptly and smiled at him.

"Dr. Reid" she said standing up and shaking holding out her hand for a shake. Spencer waved at her and said, "Did you know handshakes can transmit millions of organisms that can cause illnesses in those susceptible? It would be safer to kiss" he finished. Sadie withdrew her hand.

"It's still a bit early for a kiss" she said, "settle for a wave?"she asked, waving and then gesturing for him to sit. Spencer put his messenger bag down and sat opposite her.

"I see you started without me" Spencer said, nodding towards her cuppa. Sadie smiled apologetically.

"Curse of routine" she admitted, "I must have ordered without consciously thinking about it" she said. Spencer nodded.

"I've often experienced that too. Especially when it comes to morning routines that are too mechanical to allow conscious thought. Once, when I was babysitting Henry, I ordered two double espressos without really thinking about it and ended up with an angry toddler and a quadruple espresso I had no idea how to finish" he rambled. Sadie smiled.

"Henry?" She enquired.

"JJ, Jennifer Jareau, my friend's son. He's six now." He informed. Sadie smiled.

"So, Dr. Reid" Sadie said, "Why did you insist on having lunch with me today?" She asked.

Spencer stared at her. Despite the smile on her face, he knew she was troubled. It was a common feature of people who were troubled to get to the point. She wasn't enjoying this meeting as much as him. He frowned slightly.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. Sadie frowned a little, put her book down and shook her head. Instead of replying, she picked up her cappucino and took a sip. Spencer waited. He knew it was only their second interaction, but he had been watching her everyday in the coffee shop where they'd bumped into each other, for a year now. And each day, her expression was just as gloomy as the one she had on her face right that moment. An expression that said she had no interest in anyone around her, or the rest of the world.

"Truth be told" Sadie started slowly, "Perhaps it was not the best idea to meet for lunch." She admitted. Spencer frowned a little.

"Why not?" He ventured to ask. Sadie looked up at him.

"I'm not the best company" she admitted, "I'm all doom and gloom."

Spencer wondered if the people around her had described her as such. It was very strange to come to that conclusion on her own.

"If you like, you can share it with me. I'll listen if you want to talk" he offered. Sadie looked up, a small smile on her face.

"You a shrink, Dr. Reid?" She asked. Spencer smiled at her attempt at a joke. He stared at her until she caved.

"Well, if you want to listen, I'll tell you why I'm so doom and gloom" she said, "My brother died last year" she managed to breathe out.

"I'm sorry" Spencer said, shocked by her admission. Sadie smiled sadly.

"He was my only family" she told him, "Now, I'm alone, always alone."

"How did he die?" He asked, "If I may ask?" He added.

"Car crash" she said.

"I'm so sorry, Sadie" Spencer said. Sadie bit her lower lip.

"The coffee shop we met? Nolan and I used to sit there every morning. He would be solving the day's crossword and I'd be reading the book he'd picked out for me that morning" she said, her eyes distant, as if she were thinking of her brother, "Then, after he'd finished his coffee, he would get up, kiss my head and tell me to have a great day and head to the hospital."

Spencer watched as she let out a heavy breath. It sounded like she hadn't talked about her brother or his death to anyone. It sounded as if she truly was all alone. Spencer had no words to offer her. Nothing could fill the gaping hole in her chest. He knew better than anyone.

"Was he a doctor? Your brother?" He asked, instead, trying to distract her from his death.

"Yeah, he worked at the clinic in the Hoover building" she said. Spencer froze for a moment.

"He worked for the FBI?" He asked. Sadie shrugged.

"Is that what's there?" She mumbled, uninterested, "It hardly matters now, though." She finished. Sadie sipped her cappucino, which was probably stone cold. She didn't complain though. Spencer wondered why he suddenly felt suspicious about the death of Dr. Nolan O'Connell.

They didn't talk much after that. They managed to eat a couple of sandwiches between them, then parted, with no set plans to meet.

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Reviews are love.


	3. Chapter 2

Note: To all those who reviewed: Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul! They were right when they said 'Reviews are love!' Who'd have thought?

In any case, here's chapter two with Spencer! Enjoy!

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Chapter Two

PENELOPE GARCIA'S MYSTIC MAGICAL FINGERS

Spencer wandered through the halls of the bureau, still distracted. It had been a week since the lunch. And still, his mind told him something was off about Sadie's story. Surely, he would remember a British doctor in the bureau. No chance of doubt there. Surprised that he didn't recall such a man prompted investigation. And Spencer knew exactly which computer genius he needed to go to for that information.

"Garcia, I need help" Spencer said, when he found the genius hacker in the coffee room.

"Have you not had coffee on your way to work like everyday?" Penelope asked, surprised. Spencer scowled.

"I meant with this woman I know" he said. Penelope grinned.

"Coffee-shop woman?" She asked, excitement clear as day on her face.

"Yes, Sadie. Her brother, Dr. Nolan O'Connell worked in the Hoover building. Can you find out about him?" He asked. Penelope scowled.

"Is that legal?" She asked. Spencer frowned.

"Why wouldn't it be?" He asked. Penelope shrugged.

"Cause it sounds like cyber-stalking with government access?" she sounded uncertain, prompting Spencer to think about it.

"I just want to know why I don't remember seeing a British doctor in the bureau" he said. Penelope smiled.

"If you say so, Reid. Just know, if they ask me, I'll prove you blackmailed me" she said. Spencer pressed his lips together in an awkward smile that made Penelope grin and wander back to her system room.

While the hacker played with magic, Spencer played with his phone. Sadie's contact info blinked on screen. Derek Morgan watched as their genius stared at his phone and glanced towards the comp room every few seconds.

"Reid, everything alright?" Derek finally asked. Spencer turned to his colleague and friend and nodded.

"Yeah, why?" He asked. Derek looked at him.

"You're on edge, fidgety" he replied. Spencer frowned a little, then stood up abruptly, noticing the look Penelope was giving him.

"Excuse me" Spencer said, then left the room.

"What did you find out?" Spencer asked. Penelope frowned.

"There it is, Nolan O'Connell, nicknamed the Doctor'" she said, "He migrated to the states twenty years ago from Ireland. He was recruited sixteen years ago and he made agent soon after. He worked undercover for almost ten of those years, mostly in Europe, then took a desk job at the Hoover building. Last year, in December he was intercepted by the Bulgarian anti-terrorist organisation after they accused him of trading National secrets" she narrated.

Spencer frowned.

"Is there any information about next of kin?" He asked.

"Younger sister Sadie, is here in D.C on a work visa from the U.K. She's a novelist. Her first book came out two years ago. Says here she claimed it to have been inspired by her own life story" she narrated, "no other known family."

Spencer stared at the info available and wondered why there was no one else mentioned. Everyone had parents, after all.

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Spencer called Sadie that same afternoon.

"Hello?" Her voice said tentatively across the waves.

"It's Spencer Reid calling for Sadie O'Connell" he said, despite already have recognized her voice.

"Dr. Reid" she said, teasingly, "I didn't think you'd call" she admitted, sounding truthful.

"Was the lunch that bad?" Spencer inquired.

"Wasn't it? Wasn't I terrible company?" She asked. Spencer smiled a little.

"It was a good lunch" he admitted. He heard her sigh, hopefully with relief.

"That's good" she said, "Thank you, for not thinking my sorrow is boring." She added. Spencer pressed his lips together.

"I was wondering if you're free on Sunday?" Spencer asked instead.

"Oh! This Sunday?" She asked, sounding surprised, "That's a bit early" she added. Spencer frowned. Perhaps he should've talked it over with Morgan first. Morgan always knew what to do when it came to women.

"There's a selected display of turn of the century artifacts in the Smithsonian and I was wondering if you wanted to go?" Spencer blurted out. Then, he waited in anticipation as he only heard the white noise of radio waves.

"The Smithsonian?" She repeated, uncertainly.

"It's a museum on Washington ave. Also on the grounds is the hoover building, the Lincoln memorial and the air and space museum." He explained.

"I see" she said, slowly, "alright, I guess. What time?" She asked. Spencer found himself feeling relieved at her response.

"Around nine at the coffee-shop where we met?" He suggested.

"Ok. See you then, Dr. Reid" she said, her tone playful as she hung up.

Spencer stared at his phone for a long time after she had hung up, prompting the questioning look from Morgan.

"You alright, Reid? he asked. Spencer looked up.  
"Fine" he breathed out, "Say, Morgan" he said, looking up at his closest male friend, "I'm taking Sadie to the Smithsonian this Sunday and I was wondering if you could help me out?" He asked.

Derek looked at him curiously, then smiled.

"It's coffee-shop girl, isn't it?" He asked.

Spencer nodded.

"Good job getting a second date so soon, Sport" Derek said, his face and voice proud.

Spencer smiled at him.

"Thanks, I suppose" Spencer said, frowning slightly, "I had something I need to know before that. Do you have a minute?"

Derek looked at him seriously. If Spencer needed his help, he would be more than willing to give it. After all, this was Spencer's first attempt at a relationship after Maeve.

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Note: Reviews are love.

Next chapter will be out soon. Hopefully, will be a little longer than this shortie.


	4. Chapter 3

Thank you for all your reviews! It felt really good to read them!

Slight changes have been made since last update! Thanks to Marcallie for the info regarding the Smithsonian! Super helpful!

Here's a new chapter.

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CHAPTER THREE

THE SMITHSONIAN SUMMER EXHIBITION

Sadie met Spencer at the coffee shop dressed in a pair of black jeans, a T-shirt, hoodie and a pair of sneakers. Spencer stopped when he saw her, not because of her attire, but because she was still holding that same copy of Nine Stories he'd seen her with the last time they'd met. She smiled when she saw him, closed the book and walked up to him.

"Good morning, Dr. Reid" she said. Spencer scowled.

"Why do you always call me 'Dr. Reid'?" He asked. Sadie shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Probably force of habit." She concluded. Spencer's scowl dialed down into a small frown.

"I'd prefer you call me Spencer" he said. Sadie nodded.

"Alright, Spencer" she said, "Are you going to have your double espresso now?" She asked, teasingly. Spencer nodded.

"One double espresso and one chocolate frappuccino" she ordered. Spencer wondered if the woman ever drank the same drink twice. But seeing as she'd been here everyday for the past year made him realise she probably had had everything at least four times.

"Please stop dazing out" Sadie said, making Spencer smile apologetically at her.

"If you didn't want to be with me, you shouldn't have asked me out" she added. Spencer shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Sadie" Spencer said, "I didn't mean to get lost in my thoughts. I was just thinking if you ever had the same coffee twice and then got side-tracked calculating the items on the menu and the number of days I've seen you here and coming to the conclusion that you must've had each item at least four times, if not more. I am truly sorry for ignoring you like that while I went off into my own world." He rambled in a single breath.  
Sadie stared at him. Then, the woman behind the counter called out their order. Sadie turned to her and took the two cups and turned to Spencer.

"This one's yours', Spencer" she said, handing him his cup. Spencer still looked at her with pursed lips. Sadie smiled a little.

"It's ok. I forgive you. Just don't do it anymore." She warned, "If you want to know something, just ask." She suggested. Spencer nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind" he said, "Shall we leave?" He enquired. Sadie nodded and lead him out the shop. Spencer hailed for a cab. Sadie blew on her frappucino. When a taxi stopped, Spencer opened the door for her to get in.

"Thank you" she said, smiling and Spencer ran around to the other side to get in.

"National Museum of Natural History, please" Spencer informed the driver and sat back. It would take them at least 20 minutes to get there.

"So" Sadie started, "what exactly are you a doctor of?" She asked. Spencer grinned.

"I have doctoral degrees in mathematics, chemistry and engineering. As well as bachelor degrees in psychology and sociology. I'm currently working on my bachelor in philosophy over at Georgetown University." He rambled. Sadie looked impressed.

"Are you like a genius, or something?" She asked, sounding impressed.

"My IQ is 184 and I have an eidetic memory, so I suppose it does make me a type of genius. I have been called that often though, but I'd never really given it much thought." He finished. Sadie looked impressed.

"I've only ever heard about an eidetic memory. Hadn't met anyone like that before. It's an honour, Dr. Reid" she said, grinning. Spencer smiled at her.

"My turn to ask the questions?" He asked, in return. Sadie sipped her coffee.

"Ask away" she offered.

"How long have you been here? In the States?" He asked gently.

Sadie frowned and pouted.

"I came here in April last year, so roughly 15 months" she concluded, "Nolan, my brother, he said a change of scenery could help with my writer's block and, here I came, not a week later, without a second thought" she reminisced. Spencer pressed his lips together.

"Writer's block?" He enquired, slowly, tentatively. Sadie looked up.

"I was in the process of starting my second book before I came here. My editor was harassing me about it before..." she trailed off. Spencer knew what she meant. Before the circumstances changed and her brother died. The taxi came to a halt. Sadie looked at the meter and opened her wallet.

"I've got it." Spencer said. Sadie scowled.

"No, wait, here" she said to the driver. The driver looked at Spencer, who was still finding the bills in his wallet.

"Take it" she told the driver firmly, and he did. Spencer scowled.

"Sadie, I said I'd pay" Spencer said, following her out the cab. Sadie was tossing her cup in the bin when he stepped out.

"It's alright. You can get the next one" she said. Spencer looked unconvinced.

"So, what exactly are we here for?" Sadie asked looking around the park they were walking through to get to the museum.

"I just wanted to spend time with you." Spencer admitted,"there is a display of turn-of-the-century artifacts in the museum, if you don't mind walking through it while we talk a bit more?" He rambled. Sadie stopped and looked at him with wide, surprised eyes.

"So, I would be right in presuming, that you're interested in me?" She said, sounding surprised as she came to a halt. Spencer stopped and looked at her.

"Of course" he agreed, "is that so strange?" He wondered aloud, for Sadie was a thing of beauty to look at. She must've been asked out by all kinds of men in her life. Sadie coloured red in her cheeks.

"I suppose it isn't strange" she agreed softly, "It's my first time out with someone Nolan doesn't know or hasn't met. I guess I ought to be prepared for more events like this in the future. I mean, it's not like I can keep clinging to Nolan's friends for all human interaction for the rest of my life." She rambled until she ran out of breath.

Spencer looked at her with surprise. He hadn't expected her to break into a monologue so suddenly. Especially about her recently deceased brother.

"Were all your previous dates, friends with your brother?" Spencer enquired. Sadie looked up.

"Is this a date? A proper date?" She asked with wide eyes.

"I'd like to think so" Spencer admitted. Sadie bit her lower lip.

"A real date" she mumbled to herself, "I've never been on one of those" she admitted.

Spencer wondered what kind of person who saw Sadie wouldn't eventually ask her out on a date, or for her to be the mother of his children and for her hand in marriage? Sadie's dark hair had natural curls that fell in her face and framed her delicate features. Her green eyes, when she looked at you, felt like she was showing you her soul and the smile he'd seen on her occasionally was something that made you feel light in your chest. Overall, despite her trying to make herself appear plain and unkempt, Sadie was an appealing woman and Spencer had been certain, until her previous reaction, she'd had more experience than him when it came to courtship.

"Is it strange that I'm 24 and have never been on a real date before?" Sadie enquired Spencer was uncertain in which way he might answer so it sounds good. While he contemplated this, Sadie stared at him from behind her eyelashes as her head hung low. Spencer opened his mouth to dispute her claims of peculiarity when they both heard the radio announcement of a lost child.

"Shall we go in?" Spencer said instead and decided to listen to Morgan's advice, especially since he'd asked for it.

"The day is about her: if she wants to go left, you go left. If she wants to take a break, you take a break. If she finds museums a boring place, you suggest to go to a place she'd like to visit. And finally, when you drop her off, don't hang around for a good night kiss, or anthing like that. It's only the second date, and you are not the kind of man who does things like that on a second date, isn't that right?"

Spencer turned to Sadie, who was looking at the articles with barely a glance.

"Sadie" he called, making her turn to him, "you do like museums, don't you?" He inquired. Sadie looked at him.

"Of course" she said, "they're the only place other than a library to maintain silence while learning. And the historical articles are such a wonder to see, isn't it?" She rambled.

Spencer was relieved. At least he'd not forced his idea of a good time onto her. He walked beside her as she took a pamphlet at the counter and handed another to him. He accepted it with thanks.

"Is there anything in particular you want to see?" He inquired as she looked through the pamphlet.

"The photography section?" She said uncertainly. Spencer looked at her curiously.

"I want to see that famous photo of the end of the second world war taken in Times Square" she added.

"Oh, sure" he agreed and lead the way.

Over the next few hours, the two had walked through the museum, talked about Spencer's childhood and his job in the FBI. When Sadie suggested lunch, Spencer was more than happy to lead her to the cafeteria for a quick bite, as she'd described it.

"What about you, Sadie?" He asked, as they sat down with their burgers, "How was it growing up in the UK?"  
Sadie looked at her burger for a moment, then she looked up.

"Even though I sound like this, I'm Irish" she said, "I was born in Northern Ireland, which is technically part of UK, but I'm Irish" she said.

"I see" he said, "The land of the leprechaun, huh?" He said, in a poor attempt to make a joke. Sadie smiled, nonetheless.

"Yeah, and of George Bernard Shaw, George Orwell and James Joyce" she offered. Spencer smiled in response.

"It must've been a haven for a writer to grow up in" he said, additionally.

"I suppose it must have" she mumbled.

Spencer frowned. Had he somehow offended her? Or worse?

"Is everything alright?" He asked softly. Sadie looked up at him.

"Yup" she said, forcing a smile, "I was just thinking about the past." She admitted.

"I'm sorry for bringing him up again" Spencer said apologetically, "it was not my intention to remind you of your recent loss." He admitted. Sadie frowned at him a little.

"I'm sorry" she said, "but it wasn't my brother I was thinking of" she admitted, "it was my father"

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Ooh! A Cliff-hanger!

Next chapter is written and awaiting proof-reading! It'll be up soon!

Reviews are love, even if they're flames.(But not too many flames, ok? I'm an air sign.)


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Such amazing people you are! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, so much!

Disclaimer: Content may be too mature for some younger viewers! Please use your own powers of discretion!

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CHAPTER FOUR

DIRTY BOOKSHELVES

Spencer stared at Sadie as the latter picked at her burger. Somehow, it looked as though she didn't care as much about it anymore. She had been rather enthusiastic when picking it out, so Spencer knew he'd hit a cord when he'd unintentionally brought up her father. Absently wondering if she was in any state to continue with their date, Spencer stood up, making Sadie look up at him,

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked politely, "I'm getting a sprite and some more fries. Apparently, you can't have enough fries" he stated. Sadie half-smiled.

"A coke please" she said, "If you don't mind" she added as he nodded and made his way towards the counter.

Spencer glanced back at their table, where Sadie sat, not really looking like the person she had been earlier that day. Spencer pulled out his phone and dialled Morgan's number, which was, luckily, on speed-dial.

"Hello, pretty boy! How's it going?" Morgan answered when he picked the phone.

"Morgan, I need your help" Spencer confided quickly and quietly, then went on to explain to him the events that had occured since the morning. Once he was done, he waited for an answer, or some advice from his good friend.

"What do I do?" Spencer asked, when Morgan remained quiet. Morgan sighed on the other side of the line.

"This sort of thing isn't in the handbook, kid" Morgan admitted, sighing loudly, "I suppose what you do is be supportive, ask if she's fine, if she wants to go somewhere else to feel better, and if there's anything you could do to make her feel better" he offered. Spencer pressed his lips together as the woman behind the counter handed him the food tray.

"Ok, thanks, Morgan, I'll do that" he said, decidedly, then hung up and took the tray, before heading back to his table. He put the tray down and pulled out his chair to sit, the words ready in his mind to speak, once he had. Instead, he noticed Sadie stand up.

"I'm awfully sorry" she mumbled, "I just need to leave now. I can't do this at the moment" she spoke fast, her accent getting the better of her as she rushed to pick up her coat and her bag. Then, with a slight nod in Spencer's direction and with no eye-contact whatsoever, she hurried out the building, Spencer's stunned eyes following her movement as he stood at his table, half crouched with his hand pulling out his chair. Spencer remained frozen by her sudden departure, without so much as a reassuring glance in his direction, which troubled him terribly. When his senses returned, Spencer sat down, staring at their half-eaten meal, the extra order of fries and their drinks untouched on the table. Suddenly, he came to the realisation that going out with Sadie, who seemed to have similar interests as him, was going to be an uphill climb, with plenty of falling boulders being tossed from the top. As he came to this conclusion, he stood, leaving the untouched food, but picking up the Sprite and Coke, and went out the building. He decided he'd tell Morgan what had happened. Morgan was a better profiler than him, after all, especially when it came to women. With the sprite half-drunk and the coke still full in his hands, he managed to call Morgan and tell him how his date had ended. Morgan was curious as to the expression Sadie had been wearing when she'd left him abruptly.

"The expression?" Spencer repeated, frowning slightly.

"Did she look spooked? Or pale, or frigid?" Morgan asked, "Was she stable enough to be left on her own, Reid?" Morgan asked sharply. Spencer stopped and thought back. Sadie's hair was all over her face. She was frowning, when she got up. She wasn't pale, seemed just angry. Her eyes were tear-filled, though none of them had slipped from her eyelids, and her lips were red, as if she'd chewed on them repeatedly. When she picked her stuff, her hands weren't trembling, rather they were purposeful and she picked up her things with ease. Her eyes were downcast throughout the ordeal, except when she glanced towards his general direction, before stopping herself from looking up at his eyes, then fleeing the scene.

"She didn't look unstable" Spencer confirmed, "Just deeply upset and hurt"

"Are you sure?" Morgan asked, his voice steely. Spencer scowled.

"Of course" he said adamantly, "I think we can leave her be for a while now"  
Morgan sighed.

"Ok" he agreed, "You head home too. I'll see you in the morning" he added. Spencer responded wordlessly before the call ended. Then, Spencer finished the rest of the sprite and tossed the can in a nearby bin.

Contemplating whether to hail a taxi, or take the bus, Spencer walked down the familiar road until he stopped at D.C's biggest book-store, or so it claimed to be. Frowning and wondering if they would have a copy of Sadie's book, he stepped in and scanned through half the bookshelves, going over his favourite titles until he stopped at one he'd read several years ago, on suggestion of his mentor, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. The book itself had been in print since the 80's, but Spencer had found it endearing and very powerful for someone who was down in the slumps. He picked it up off the shelf, knowing exactly who needed that sort of inspiration at the moment. Then, he found one of the staff and asked if they had a book by Sadie O'Connell. The young man, who looked no older than Spencer himself, nodded and lead him to the aisle where the book was.

"It's a good book" the man suggested, "I mean, if you like that sort of dark, unreal tales" he added. Spencer nodded and thanked him. Picking up the book, he read the title and saw the cover art, which was a sketched drawing of a bookshelf beside an open window. An empty, filthy bookshelf that was gloomy all the more because the weather outside the window seemed to be in stark contrast. The title reflected what he saw in the picture, "Dirty Bookshelves." Spencer made his way to the counter and paid for both books, before making his way home. He stared at the photograph of Sadie on the back, in which she was smiling a little, her hair had been brushed and kept out of her face and her green eyes seemed to sparkle like emeralds. Spencer stopped himself, twice, from opening her book right there and reading it. He knew it would be too dark for public reading and he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself from trying to find Sadie right at that moment after he read it.

"Garcia did say it was based on her childhood" he mumbled to himself as he finally exited the taxi and took the elevator to his apartment on the fifth floor. Spencer hung up his coat, put down his bag and kicked off his shoes before settling down in the arm-chair and opening the book.

The stories he read were all seemingly unrelated. In fact, the description on the outside claimed it to be a collection of short-stories, rather than a novella. There were 12 such stories. Each story was numbered with an age, possibly the age Sadie had been when the story had occured. He read of her experiences as a child: abandoned by her mother at three, her older brother at five and abused by her father until she was twelve. Although he never read an account of any sort of abuse, he felt it in the undertones. Sentences like, 'it's best if I don't write of all the things he may or may not have done. After all, nothing I do will erase or modify them' were a dead give-away. Instead, he focused about the few precise memories she'd recorded. Such as, the day her brother had finally rescued her from the clutches of her dad, and when she had been treated as a feral child by her psychiatrist and the team of doctors working on her health. She gave vivid descriptions of all her experiences and painted a rather colourful picture. However, what made him stop reading was chapter eleven. It had started innocently enough with, 'It had started to snow, even though it was only the start of Winter.' However, when he realised that her father, if the man could be called that, had beaten her and slammed her against the dirty bookshelf, just because she'd plucked up the courage to ask if she could borrow a book from the library, or from the school, he realised that he needed to keep her thoughts from wandering to those sort. He stood, searching for his cellphone, before he found it in his pocket and dialled her, now familiar, number. The phone rang out without reply. She hadn't registered for voice messages, he noted as it ended abruptly. Then, he dialled again, but to no avail. After a few more attempted calls, he half-hoped he could find Garcia to locate her using her cellphone, as he pulled on his jacket and picked up his keys, bag and the books he'd bought that day. Sadie answered the phone at that moment.

"Hello?" she said, sounding like she'd been sleeping.

"Sadie?" he said urgently, "It's Spencer" he said. He didn't hear anything in response.

"Spencer" she repeated, "right" she mumbled, still groggy, "Why are you calling?" she asked, sounding utterly confused. Spencer sighed with relief. She had been sleeping, not doing anything else.

"I was just checking up on you" he admitted truthfully, "You looked a bit upset when you ran away during lunch and I was worried that something might happen, or you might be too depressed or something" he rambled.

"I'm fine" she admitted, yawning, "Can I talk to you later, though? I'm pretty busted" she admitted.

"Can I bring you dinner, or something?" he offered, "I could get take-out, whatever you feel like having? I'll bring it by your place, so you can eat and have an early night and get it out of your system" he rambled again.

"Ok, sure" she mumbled, "It's flat 110, 45, Lexington avenue, just behind the starbucks" she said, yawning four times during the course, "Bring pizza" she added, "And coke. Lots of coke"

"Ok, I'll see you there, say 6?" he asked, nodding at her willingness.

"Yup, later" she mumbled, before hanging up. Spencer sighed with relief. He had no idea his heart had been racing or that he'd been breathing heavy. Just hearing her voice had reassured him that she was alright. Sighing with relief, he sank to the floor, suddenly depleted of all his energy. He looked at the book again, and wondered, if she had had any more incidents such as the one with the dirty bookshelves. Spencer sighed heavily as he felt the strength returning to his legs again and he trusted himself to stand.

He stood up, took off his jacket again and hung it up. It was already half past four. He sat down again, resting his mind of the turmoil she had caused, then, twenty minutes later, he stood and wondered what sort of pizza she'd like as he picked up his bag and went out the door, his jacket in hand.

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As always, reviews are love!


	6. Chapter 5

Note: Thanks to all the readers! Special thanks to reviewers! You have my love! Enjoy this new chapter!

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CHAPTER FIVE

COKE AND PIZZA

Spencer arrived outside her apartment complex at 6. The building looked unremarkable from the outside, and he stepped in and took the stairs to the first floor, where 110 was, and rang the doorbell. After muffled sounds of shuffling around, the door opened and Sadie, who was now dressed in an over-sized t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants, her hair in a loose braid sitting on her shoulder, opened the door with her eyelids still drooping.

"Hi" he said, staring at her curiously, and wondering if she understood the concept of a dinner together.

"Hello" she mumbled, "Come in" she added, opening the door further to let him in. Spencer went in and Sadie closed the door behind him and pointed towards the kitchen.

"Through there" she offered, "I'll go wash my face" she added, retreating to her right.

Spencer noticed the apartment looked a lot like something out of a magazine, cool looking couch, a pair of laZboys facing the large plasma TV, a large bay window allowing the lights of DC to flood in, lined by a small sitting area. One of the laZboys had a blanket, a pillow and stuffed rabbit sitting on it, meaning it was currently being used as a bed. To his left, where Sadie had pointed, was the open kitchen/dining area, which looked like one on a TV cooking show, all plywood cabinets, an awesome grill/stove/oven, a counter to eat lined by tall bar stools. Spencer put down the bags of the variety of pizzas he'd bought and the three large containers of coke on the counter. He put the coke in the fridge to chill, while he searched for plates. He'd all but found the forks when Sadie walked in, still dressed the same lazy way, but with eyes fully open and suddenly wide awake,

"Hello" she said again, "Sorry about lunch" she added, making her way around the counter to pull out plates from the drawer and ketchup from the cabinets.

"It's alright" Spencer replied as he pulled out the five varieties of pizza he'd brought, "How are you? Are you alright?" he asked. Sadie shrugged and noticed the five boxes.

"Why'd you bring so many?" she asked.

"Well, I didn't know what you liked, so covered all the basics" he explained, "This is the classic pepperoni, this is chicken tandoori with onion, this is a vegetarian blast with olives, jalapenos, mushrooms, peppers, this is the all-time favourite, double cheese and lastly, spicy Mexican flavours on a pizza base" he rambled, while pointing to each.

Sadie smiled a little as she picked a slice of the double cheese and another of the veggie blast and put it on her plate.

"Do you drink?" she asked. Spencer looked at her surprised as he put his pepperoni slice on his plate and turned towards her. She'd found the coke and was pulling out two rather large cups to pour them into.

"Sure, coke, I do" he replied. Sadie half-laughed, half-snorted.

"I meant alcohol" she corrected, "Do you want me to open a bottle of wine, or whisky or vodka for you?" she asked. Spencer shook his head.

"Not today, thanks" he replied, "I'm just a red wine sort of person, once a week, really" he added. Sadie nodded as she picked up her plate and glass and gestured towards the living room.

"Can't we sit here?" Spencer asked, nodding to the counter. Sadie stopped.

"Uh, sure" she said, "Don't you want to watch the tele, though? I thought you Americans did that?" she said, almost teasingly, grinning. Spencer sat on the stool beside her and looked at her.

"Well, I'd rather just sit with you" he claimed, "I just want to give you company"

Sadie smiled a little and bumped her shoulder against his playfully.

"Thank you, Spencer" she admitted, picking up a slice of pizza and biting into it.

"Why pizza?" Spencer asked as Sadie reached for another slice and put one in Spencer's plate too.

"Well, Nolan and I, we love pizza and he taught me that if you have pizza and coke, everything in the world becomes better" she said, downing her glass of coke as if to prove her point, then, got up to get herself a refill.

"Does it work?" Spencer asked. Sadie grinned.

"Well, if I pass out from a caffeine coma, just remember, I'm allergic to penicillins, cephalosporins, and oxicams" she said, drinking more coke.

Spencer watched as Sadie ate a few more slices of pizza, while downing another glass of coke. When she finished her last slice, she sipped her coke and turned to him. He was still on his fourth slice and first glass of coke.

"Did you think I was spiraling into depression and suicide?" she asked, as he was drinking, making him choke on it. He coughed loudly, and she watched him, not really doing anything, except reaching for a glass to get him some water. He downed it and his cough subsided, though, he still felt the prickly sensation in his throat from the coke going down his windpipe.

"I suppose a part of me did find that to be a possibility" he admitted, "But then, I knew that I ought to trust you more than that because you aren't weak and fragile and you do have courage to face your problems, rather than run away. I mean, it only made sense you would want to be by yourself as you thought of sad and terrible memories that make you wish your brother had been decent enough to take you away when he'd left too" he rambled. Sadie stared at him.

"You read my book" she concluded, "Didn't you?" she asked, eyes narrowing accusingly. Spencer suddenly felt guilty about doing so, especially since he'd gone out of his way to find it and read it so he could have an idea of her past.

"I sincerely apologise for going behind your back like that to read it" he admitted, "But I had to know what it was that caused you to become so afraid of being out in the open, of talking about that man and I needed to know what you'd do in such a situation. Reading your book and getting a first-hand account made me realise that your past is far more turbulent than your book lets on and I'm sure no one's realised it because there isn't anything in the book that points to it"

"What makes you believe that?" she asked, sipping her coke again. Spencer took out her book from his bag, that had been lying on the counter next to his coke. Sadie's eyes widened comically.

"I had spare copies if you wanted one" she admitted, "You just had to ask, you could've got it free of cost, and with an autograph too" she said, cracking a feeble attempt at a grin.

"Your words throughout the book scream that there's more" he said, then proceeded to read out at least ten such statements in the first chapter alone. Sadie held up her hands in defeat.

"You're right" she admitted, her hands raised in defeat, her eyes looking down and finding her toes rather interesting, "There's a lot more"

Spencer put his hand on hers' on the counter and entwined their fingers together.

"Tell me" he coerced, "I'll listen" he offered. Sadie smiled sadly at him as her fingers tightened around his.

"Maybe some other day?" she said, "right now, I just want to sit here, with you" she admitted. Spencer obliged and they sat there, at the counter, their stools turned so they faced each other and his left hand was entangled with her right on the counter-top. The plates and glasses and pizza lay forgotten on the counter as they sat there, not saying anything, just enjoying each other's company.

"Well, pizza and coke do help" Spencer admitted quietly, after a while, making her smile.

"Yes" she agreed, "Thank you, for dinner" she said, standing up, and leaning forward to peck him on his cheek softly. Spencer froze as she did, and then, she disentangled her fingers from his grip and began cleaning up.

"Do you want to take the pepperoni home?" Sadie asked, "Or any other?" she inquired.

Spencer stood and walked around the counter to where Sadie was standing. Between them, they'd eaten half of every pizza, which meant half was still left.

"Shall we divide and conquer?" Spencer suggested. Sadie nodded and cut up the remaining slices in half and put them all in two boxes for Spencer to take up. Spencer finished his coke and helped wash the plate, while Sadie poured herself another glass of coke while she put the left-overs in the fridge.

"I guess I'm having pizza for breakfast too" she said, sounding incredibly pleased with that prospect, at least her smile said so. Spencer watched her drink the rest of coke relatively slowly. He wanted to say a thousand things to her regarding the coke and her habits of drinking them. Instead, he pulled out the book he'd bought for her and handed it to her. Sadie looked at him curiously.

"I'm sure you must have read this before" he started, "But when I saw it on the shelf, I thought of you and I figured you could use this book during a time like this" he rambled. Sadie put down her glass and looked at him with wide-eyed disbelief. Her green eyes sparkled as she looked at the book. Her hands reached forward gently and took it from his hand. She opened the book and put her nose in it, smelling the unique scent of machine oil and printing ink. Then, pulling away, she smiled at him genuinely, the kind he'd never seen before.

"Thank you, Spencer" she said, "This means a lot to me" she admitted, her eyes wide, honest and shimmering with surprise, happiness and delight. Spencer felt himself blush slightly at her honesty. He shrugged and smiled back.

"I'm glad I could be of help" he said. Sadie's smile had never seemed so bright before, Spencer noted. Then again, she didn't have a reason before.

"I should get going" Spencer admitted, "I have work in the morning" he added, picking up his bag and jacket. Sadie hugged her book as she followed him.

"Shall I see you in Starbucks for coffee?" she inquired. Spencer nodded.

"My treat" she promised. Spencer nodded again.

"If you have anything to talk about, literally, anything" he said, "Call me, at any time. You're not going to be a bother"

"Spencer?" Sadie said uncertainly, as she stood at the door to see him off. He stared at her.

"Do you want to go out?" she asked, "With me?"

Spencer stood still for a moment.

"Yes, I do" he admitted, "Are you ready, for that sort of thing?" he asked, bending down to her eye-level. Sadie stole her eyes from him and looked around the floor, her hands still clutching _The Alchemist_ tight to her chest.

"I don't know" she admitted, "I doubt I'd be good at it" she claimed, "But if that's ok with you, I wouldn't mind, going out, if it's with you" she said, agreeing in a rather round about sort of way. Spencer smiled at her.

"I would be honoured" he said seriously, looking her in the eye, "if you chose me to be your boyfriend"

Sadie blushed dark when he said that to her, making him smile.

"And I will do all I can to be a good girlfriend" she responded, looking up at him seriously. Spencer nodded.

"Ok, see you tomorrow" he said, turning to leave.

"Good night" she called after him as he walked into the corridor, holding the pizza leftovers in one hand and his bag in the other.

Spencer noticed that Sadie had shut the door before he'd hopped onto the elevator and he wondered if she would be alright. He walked towards home feeling good about himself, so much so, he called Morgan to inform him of the progress he'd made that evening. Morgan was very encouraging, but also warned him not to scare her off, '...if she's serious about never having been on a date before, it makes you her first ever experience. So, whatever you do, don't be a dick. She's the shy type, I can tell, but, don't do anything that'll scare her off for good. You know?'

Spencer knew.

He also knew Sadie barely knew anyone else in the whole country, let alone the city. In fact, she had only mentioned her brother's friends and no one else. Who knew how many 'friends' referred to. Could be two, perhaps three. It couldn't possibly be more than that.

Reminding himself to tell Sadie about the health risks of coke the next day, Spencer arrived home and then, he went to bed, too exhausted to do anything else.

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Well, how do you like it? Is it too OOC? Let me know by clicking the review button and typing a few words. It doesn't take long, I assure you.


	7. Chapter 5 point 1

Now begins a series of shorts that are written in Sadie's Point of view. Not particularly important to the story line, though. The next "real" chapter comes after 5.9. Sorry, busy with exams for the time being. Hope you enjoy it!

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Chapter 5.1

Sadie's contemplation

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Sadie watched as Spencer took the elevator. The moment he'd stepped in, she shut the door quietly and locked it. She turned and looked at the large bay window and made her way to the universal remote. With the press of a few buttons, she was able to dim the lights of the room, as well as shut the drapes of the window.

Then, with only the dim blue glow of the glow strip along the corridor, Sadie went to the study, which Nolan had converted into a bedroom for her, with a comfy bed he'd bought soon after she'd arrived. A part of her wondered if he had hoped for her to stay in the States. Sadie sat down on the armchair, staring down at the book she'd received that evening. _The Alchemist_ was one of her favourite books, obviously. She hadn't expected anything from Spencer, although now, she wondered if she ought to return the favour. Skimming through the pages, Sadie found the chapter she had enjoyed the most: where the boy transforms himself into the wind. She read the chapter, enjoying it as much as had the first time she'd read it. It brought a smile to her face that something as small as a book could have such an effect on her. Then, she looked up at the picture she'd placed on the side-table.

A picture of Nolan and her during her therapy days back in Ireland. She looked terrible, of course, much like a feral child she'd been called. But, Nolan looked as proud, as brilliant and as kind as he always was in real life. It soothed her, having him look at her like that, even if it was only through the picture frame. Somehow, finishing the chapter made her feel better. As if her life, that had been put on pause after Nolan's death, had finally started moving forward.

Putting the book down, Sadie stood and picked up the copy of _Nine Stories_ that was on her bed. She let out a breath as she sat back down and opened _For Esme, with Love and Squalor_, the chapter she'd stopped at abruptly when she'd been informed of her brother's untimely death. Sighing again, rather loudly, Sadie read the chapter and the next, and then, when she'd finished, she closed the book, thought of Nolan's proud smile when he saw she'd finished the book he'd given her and felt her heart slow down and relax. Her eyes rested again on Nolan's picture and she smiled at it.

"I'm done, brother" she said, speaking softly.

Then, she stood and after seven months, put the book back on the shelf. Then, Sadie looked at the new copy of The Alchemist and picked it up, smelling the scent of machinery oil and printing ink again, as she made her way back to the laZboy that was her temporary bed, sat down and pulling the blanket on top of her, reclined and fell asleep, one hand clutching the stuffed rabbit, as if for dear life, the other holding the book, now closed.

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Reviews are love!


	8. Chapter 5 point 2

Another extra/side-story, if you will. Written in Sadie's POV, mostly(but in third person.) I hope you enjoy it!

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Chapter 5.2

Forks

Sadie stared at Spencer, who was sitting in the coffee shop opposite her, reading his book seriously. When he had a book he wanted to read, he really went all-in, she'd noticed. Instead of the book in her lap, half-done, Sadie focused on him. His dark blonde hair had natural curls in them, which were very cute when they fell in his face and eyes and his lips always seemed to press together into a thin line when he was doing something seriously. Sadie picked up her frappe and sipped it, not quite enjoying the flavour as much as she'd hoped. Perhaps, it was time to stick to one drink that she did like, she mused absently.  
"Something wrong?" Spencer asked, looking up at her. Sadie shook her head, throwing him a smile.  
"No" she admitted honestly, "Just admiring the view" she added, grinning. Spencer smiled back.  
"Would you rather go back home for lunch?" he inquired, sounding hopeful, or so she liked to believe. Sadie nodded.  
"Shall I make you something?" she asked, "Pasta, pasta, pasta" she inquired. He smiled, knowing full-well that it was the only thing she knew how to cook well enough to offer to others.  
"Pasta sounds good" he admitted, "Let's just get take-out. There's this Chinese restaurant in that alleyway that supposedly has the best mandarin rice in all the state. Although considering that it was the owner that put it up, I wonder if there's any truth to the matter. If you don't mind testing a theory I suppose we could get Chinese takeout, but if not, we could still get Chinese stakeout from some other place that's hopefully more modest than this one" he rambled. Sadie smiled at him as he went on and on. She enjoyed listening to his rants.  
"So, let's test that theory, shall we?" she suggested. Spencer nodded. Sadie finished the last of her frappe and stood, closing her book.  
"Are you seriously reading Lemony Snicket?" Spencer asked, "It's a children's book" he added, then stopped when Sadie frowned at him slightly, daring him to continue.  
"It's pretty good" he added quickly.  
"It's very funny" she said, "I haven't read funny in a long time" she added, putting the Slippery Slope into her bag.  
"It is funny" he agreed, "Also a bit dark. A really good read"  
Sadie glanced at him and shook her head.  
"Don't force yourself" she said, "I can handle it. It's funny, isn't it? A grown woman reading A Series of Unfortunate Events. Go on, laugh if you want" she prodded, elbowing him in the sides gently. Spencer smiled.  
"It's funny" he admitted, "Not that funny. Just, cute-funny" he said.  
Sadie wondered why it was that all descriptions in America had to have the word "cute" in them. It was as if they lacked words that were archaic and beautiful to listen and speak. Cute, she thought, was a rather lazy word.  
"Alright, don't admit it" she said, teasing him as they stopped in front of the restaurant.  
"I'll be back" Spencer offered, "Anything particular you'd like?" he asked. Sadie shrugged.  
"Tofu?" she said, uncertainly, "Do they make that here?" she added, more to herself, as she stepped back and looked at the sign.  
"I'll see what I can find" Spencer replied, going in. Sadie stood outside, half-frowning, half-pouting at how he'd become such a big part of her life, especially so fast. Spencer returned with the bag in his hand.  
"Do you want something to drink?" he asked as they walked towards her flat. Sadie shrugged.  
"I still have two bottles of Coke from the time you brought them over" she admitted, "What about you?" she asked, "Anything particular you want to drink?"  
Spencer shrugged.  
"I prefer Sprite to Coke" he admitted, "But I don't mind" he added. Sadie stopped outside a convenience store.  
"I'll be back in a jiff" she claimed, leaving Spencer outside and going in. She picked up a large bottle of Sprite, a box of pretzels and a box of easy-bake cookies that looked easy enough to make. She paid, then picked up the bag and stepped out, smiling at the confused expression on Spencer's face.  
"What?" she asked, as they resumed walking. Spencer shrugged.  
"I was wondering where you'd gone off so suddenly" he admitted, "You just disappeared for a moment there" he admitted. Sadie smiled at his description, but remained quiet. When they arrived at her flat, Spencer stepped towards the kitchen, where he unpacked the boxes and looked for the plates. Sadie watched him, rather enjoying his precise movements and purposive actions. He was even nice enough to offer her a portion of all that he'd bought. Sadie shook her head when she heard something she didn't like, and nodded to that which she did. In exchange, she found them some forks and poured him a glass of Sprite, while pouring herself a glass of coke.  
"Shall we eat?" he asked, sitting at the kitchen counter. Sadie joined him, with the forks and glasses, sitting down beside him and handing him the chopsticks.  
"I can't work with chopsticks" he admitted. Sadie frowned at him.  
"You're a genius with an IQ of 186, with several masters, and you can't work chopsticks?" Sadie asked him, sounding utterly shocked. Spencer coloured a little.  
"I lack the co-ordination required for the task" he admitted in a small voice. Sadie smiled a little at him, a bit amused, but more than that, glad, that Spencer was more human than he seemed at first glance.  
"It's appalling, I know" Spencer said, sighing, loudly, as Sadie handed him a fork.  
"Uh, no" she stuttered, then cleared her throat when he voice cracked a bit, "It's more endearing" she admitted, "Makes you seem more human" she added, smiling a little. Spencer scowled at her.  
"Makes me seem more human?" Spencer repeated, sounding slightly offended. Sadie frowned a little.  
"Because most of the time, you seem so surreal, like a super-human mutant of the sorts" she explained, fidgeting with her chopsticks, "And this sort of brings you to human-level?" she said, uncertainly, still frowning, but now red in the cheeks with embarrassment. Sadie suddenly wondered why it was so difficult to speak, when it was just as easy to write. Despite her flailing, Spencer seemed less offended and more surprised by her reply.  
"Is that how you thought of me till now?" he asked, "A super-human mutant?"  
Sadie glanced up at him before stealing her eyes. Then, she shrugged slightly.  
"It wasn't just novels I read while growing up" she admitted, "Nolan was a huge comic-geek"  
Spencer laughed at her reply, making Sadie look up at him, more bravely than before. Then, as moments flew by, Sadie felt herself smiling. He was incompetent with his chopsticks, and she with the spoken word, and that was alright with them both.

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Review please! I want to know what you know!(or something like that!)


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